Flavor innovation propelling pretzel category

KANSAS CITY — Sweet and savory flavors dominated the pretzel category during the past year.

In the 52 weeks ended March 22, dollar sales in the pretzel category totaled $2.9 billion, up 3.6% from the same period a year ago, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana. Unit sales increased 1.2%.

At the top of the category in dollar sales was Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels, a Velva, ND-based subsidiary of The Hershey Co. Dot’s dollar sales in the 52-week period totaled $625.68 million, up 17% year over year, according to Circana. Unit sales for Dot’s were up 19%. In September 2025, Dot’s launched buffalo-flavored seasoned twists as a permanent addition to the Hershey’s product portfolio.

“Today’s snackers want more than basic chips and pretzels,” said Natalie Perera, senior director of pretzels at Hershey. “The strong response to our flavors like original, Parmesan garlic, honey mustard and barbecue proves it. As we head into a busy fall, filled with snacking moments at every turn, our new bold buffalo flavor brings a spicy addition to the Dot’s Homestyle Pretzels lineup — perfectly timed for football season and already becoming the go-to snack for watch parties.”

Hershey also unveiled a new sweet and savory pretzel product. The company’s dollar sales in the pretzel category totaled $46.61 million for the 52 weeks, which was 546% higher versus a year ago, according to Circana. Likewise, unit sales during the year jumped by 612%.

In April 2025, Hershey launched the first-of-its-kind Reese’s filled pretzels, crunchy pretzels with a thick and creamy peanut butter filling in the center.

“We know our fans are always on the hunt for new ways to get their Reese’s peanut butter fix and, trust us, this one’s a total game-changer,” Perera said. “Crunchy, creamy, sweet, salty — it’s like the snack universe finally got it right. One bite, and you’ll get it.”

Hanover, Pa.-based Utz Brands, Inc. also launched novel pretzel varieties over the past year. Dollar sales for Utz totaled $201.59 million in the 52-week period, an increase of 3.6% year over year. Unit sales rose 2.4%.

At the 2026 Natural Products Expo West in early March, Utz unveiled three protein pretzel flavors: sea salt, honey mustard and cheddar. Utz described the new flavors as “a protein twist on favorite salty snack classics.” The classic sea salt pretzels contain 10 grams of protein per serving, and the other two flavors contain 8 grams of protein per serving.

Camden, NJ-based The Campbell’s Co. went sweet and savory with its first Goldfish seasoned pretzel products. The company kicked off the new product line in January with the launch of honey mustard and hot buffalo flavors.

“As we head into 2026, we’re bringing new flavors and formats for the whole family in ways that only Goldfish can, making snacking even more fun for everyone in the household,” said Mike Fanelli, senior director of Goldfish.

Smaller companies such as Boulder, Colo.-based Quinn Snacks also have hopped on the sweet and savory trend.

In February, Quinn launched filled pretzel sticks, offering peanut butter and honey inside a crunchy, golden-baked pretzel. Described as a first-of-its-kind product, the sticks contain 3 grams of protein per serving and are gluten-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, corn-free and soy-free. The pretzels rolled out to all Northeast Costco locations in 10 states (New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia) and the District of Columbia for a limited time.

“This category-defining innovation takes everything people love about pretzel sticks and fills it, literally,” Quinn said. “With a crisp, golden-baked shell and a creamy peanut butter and honey center, Quinn’s Filled Pretzel Sticks deliver the perfect salty-sweet balance in a format that’s entirely new to the snack aisle. The result: a satisfying, crowd-pleasing snack that’s crazy delicious and decidedly not empty.”

New pretzel ideas also are coming from across the pond. Akiva, Israel-based Meir Bagel in March added three new savory flavors to its Crisp Power Protein Pretzels lineup: cheddar, Flamin’ Crunch and cinnamon crunch.

Each variety is vegan and contains up to 28 grams of protein, 10 grams of fiber and 6 grams of net carbs. All Crisp Power Protein Pretzels flavors are available in the United States through Amazon, Costco, Wegmans, Hy-Vee and The Vitamin Shoppe.